


Aerith Appreciation 2017

by sanctum_c



Series: Aerith Appreciation [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Multi, Originally Posted on Tumblr, long fic & drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-14 11:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 5,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10535841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: A selection of prompt fills for the Aerith Appreciation week on tumblr.





	1. Walking to Kalm

**Author's Note:**

> The fourth prompt ('Heritage') is going to be posted as a separate fic as it was part of the Remix challenge, and the free day will be incorporated into a later fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Flowers'.

The first day Aeris ran from Tseng, she only made it as far as the Sector Five market. It seemed far enough; a cautious look back along the narrow path leading to mom's house did not reveal the Turk in pursuit. Tseng was still there and waiting for to come back. Unless he could fly up to the upper plate somehow. An amusing image but impossible. What now? She kept an eye on the path as she roamed amongst the stalls and shops. Her stomach gurgled - Tseng's timing could not have been much worse; his knock on the door came minutes before lunch. Aeris folded her arms across her chest and tried to ignore the hollow sensation.

Time passed. Still no sign of Tseng. Aeris huffed and glared in the approximate direction of the Turk. It was halfway tempting to go back, kick him in the shins and have lunch with mom. But he might start talking about- Aeris hurried into the next shop - whatever it was. There were books inside. Lots and lots of books. All second hand and in varying stages of disrepair and crammed onto shelves. The titles meant little to her, the spines dull red or faded blue with titles in gold. The paper-backs were more interesting to look at with their cracked spines. Aeris pulled a few from the shelves; so many of them seemed to be couples embracing. Usually the man - or men, if present - wasn't wearing anything above the waist. Weird.

Aeris moved on. Larger books further in. Heavier, thicker; fewer cracked spines. Cookbooks - a few like the volumes on the shelf in mom's kitchen. Black spines with gold lettering promising complete histories of the world. She steered well clear of those. And stopped. The next book on the shelf was a patterned green spine with a single world. 'Flowers'.

Mother had talked about them before; back when they had been in Hojo's clutches. When they were finally alone together at the end of a day she would talk about flowers and how the Planet nourished them. And the colours; mother talked about such a vast array of them compared to the limited palette Aeris saw each day. Fewer greys and reds; more greens, yellows and blues. But so harsh in Midgar; every colour was intense in a searing way. At least the lights down here were something other than intense white or red. The ground was concrete but different from the cold floors of the labs.

Aeris pulled the book from the shelf and let it fall open. Colour. More and varied shades of colour than she might have ever expected to see in the world. Page after page of flowers, each picture accompanied by the name and some detail about it. Most of the text was too much for her; she recognised the odd word and made an educated guess at the longer and more complex ones, but it was the images that held her attention. Difficult to say how long she stood staring at one page after another until the owner finally grumbled and asked if she had any intention of buying the book. Aeris shook her head, shoved it onto the shelf and hurried from the store. No money and no way to afford the entrancing, enchanting tome.

Her head buzzed with a touch of embarrassment at the man's words and those thousands of images of the flowers, their petals- She was at her front door before she realised. Aeris froze, ready to run, heart thundering as the door opened. No. Not now. Not now she had seen what was outside of the city. All those colours, all those living things. She could still run-

"Aeris?" Mom's voice. She could not move - not yet - she stared past mom, checking to see if the Turk was still here. No one else ventured out of the house and already mom's arms were around her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Aeris said, still dazed, still unable to quite trust the seemingly empty house. "Is- Is Tseng still here?"

"He's gone - for now." Mom's body tensed a little against her. Relief then, though the threat of the 'for now' was hard to ignore. Mom let go and sat back on her haunches. "Where did you go - if you don't mind me asking?"

"The market." Aeris blinked. "The book store. Mom, I found this amazing book with lots of flower pictures in it."

"We both do like flowers," Mom said, a smile developing on her lips.

"I wanted to see more, but the man - he asked if I was going to buy it, but I couldn't so I came back." Aeris gave the house one last suspicious glance before glancing back along the path.

Mom hummed. "Well, how about tomorrow you show me? For now, I think we should make a start on dinner."

* * *

To her delight mom bought Aeris the book the next morning as they went to buy groceries. Mom seemed perfectly fine - well almost. She seemed distracted; all the more reason for Aeris to keep an eye out for black-suited threats in the surrounding area. None that she could see; they were safe enough for now. She could have taken more care on the way home, but the book was too distracting. Too distracting to even wait until they got home. Aeris found the place she stopped the previous day and resumed flicking forward, the book awkward to keep open as she walked beside mom.

No Turks swooped upon them that day and Aeris was able to settle at the kitchen table and pour over the book, shouting out questions to mom in the kitchen as she worked through it. As the day slid into afternoon, Mom fetched another book - an atlas she called it. With each flower Aeris reached, Mom would flip through the Atlas and point to the part of the world where it originated. Aeris stared at each portion of the Planet, looking from the the circle on the map denoting Midgar to the tip of mom's finger. They worked through the whole book, page by page. Soon Aeris felt she knew every flower and every place on the Planet they grew.

Logically now she could go see them for herself. As beautiful as the pictures were, they seemed limited to having them in front of her. There was no scent, no way to touch the delictate petals and stems; just descriptions relying on other unfamiliar descriptions. Flipping through the book and the atlas, it became clear that Kalm was the nearest area where she might find flowers to see in person. And judging from the atlas, Kalm was almost next to Midgar. She could walk - it wasn't that far. She tried the next day; mom had to work leaving Aeris to her own devices. Perfect. Aeris could be there and back before mom got back. She might even be able to surprise her with flowers.

Distances were deceptive. Getting even close to the outer edge of Midgar took far longer than expected. Her feet and legs were aching as she pushed forward, determined to get to Kalm before contemplating rest. So close and then- A black suit up ahead. Not Tseng, but clearly one of his group. Turks. The woman was leaning against the gate chatting with a guard standing at stiff attention beside her. The woman had not seen her - or did not seem to yet. Aeris bit her lip. She could go forward; the woman might not be looking for her. Risky though. Could she run fast enough? Aeris peered past them, trying to catch sight of something to hide behind out beyond the walls. Nothing she could see. Another day then?

Too much like defeat, but circumstances forced her to turn and start trudging home. It would not be so bad if she had at least gotten closer - if she had been at least able to see the flowers out there. The tall building on her right had not merited attention before; the steps outside looked dry and for the most part free of detritus. She could rest here for a moment. A relief to being able to sit down - if only for a moment. Aeris gazed around at the massed piles of junk lining the road running from the outer edge and towards the centre of the city. The centre. The huge hub of Midgar towered high above her and connected to the metal sky above. She would be able to see from the upper plate - though that again cost money to get to. The other towers, one in each sector would have worked too, but a high metal fence topped with spiked wire bounded the nearest.

Aeris sighed and leant back. And stopped. The building behind her was tall. Not as high as the hub, not as high as the columns, but higher than mom's house by a wide margin. Tired feet and legs forgotten, Aeris pushed at the door. It opened with a groan, revealing a huge, almost empty room. Row after row of wooden seats stood facing away from her. The glass in the windows was all different colours and made from tiny pieces bordered by thick black lines. What was this? Something to puzzle later. For now she had to get higher. Above her a huge wooden beam spanned the length of the church, and above that was a hole - she could see all the way up to the plate. Now if only she could get there. Aeris stared upwards, skirting around a jagged hole in the floorboards.

The backroom lead to a series of disintegrating staircases allowing her higher and higher into the building. She did not even look down as she clambered up onto the main beam. Not far now. Not far. Through the hole and then she slithered over the tiles onto the very top of the roof. She had made it- Aeris's heart sank. She could see over the wall, but all that was visible outside the city even from here was a featureless grey ground. No. Not quite. On the very limit of her vision was a thin line of green; there was something beyond the grey. She still needed to get out of the city. A new goal then.

Aeris made her way back down the roof and froze. Someone was in the church. "No, she did not get past me. I lost her." The Turk. She was pacing back and forth below her. "Right. I'm not just going to let her waltz through the gate. I kept watch. She came close and then headed back towards the centre." Another pause. "Of course. And now I'm here. I thought she went in the church here, but nothing." Another pause. Was she talking about her? "Look how much longer do I have to keep this up? The guards are on high alert - no one is getting out today." Longer pause. "She could be anywhere. Have you looked at this rat's nest of a sector? She's tiny - she can go pretty much where she'd want. We could spent a week tearing this place-" Abrupt pause. "That's more like it. Send the chopper, I'm coming back up."

The woman took one last look around the church, snorted and stalked back out, slamming the door behind her. Aeris waited a moment, another moment, and a third to be sure. The Turk was gone. She shuffled back onto the beam and started making her way back to the stairs. This might be a good place to hide in future. It was fun being up this high too. Aeris glanced over the edge and froze. Below her, right in the centre of the floor was the same jagged hole she had skirted around on the way in. She had been too distracted with the possibility of seeing over the wall to give it a second glance before. There was grass growing in the hole. Grass. The thin, shrivelled stuff on Mom's lawn did not compare to the thick verdant green here.

Aeris hurried down to the hole. Grass was growing in Midgar. An idea then; if the grass could grow here, then so could flowers. Mom ought to have some spare seeds from her attempts and it might be possible they could get some others? If it was difficult to get out of the city and the flowers out there, she could get their seeds brought to her. It would not be the same, but for now she could grow her own flowers right here in the city


	2. Easier With Each Passing Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Relationships'.

Aeris tried not to think about Zack as she tended to the flowers. It did at least get easier with each passing day, the distance between the last time she saw him and now growing longer. A little under quarter of her life had now passed since she last spent time with him. Aeris paused and counted on her fingers; had she only spent a mere eleventh of her life in his company? It had seemed like so much more - it was why she waited after-all, hoping he would come back.

Sooner or later she would have to accept it wasn't going to happen. That he did live somewhere on the Upper Plate or Junon or Costa del Sol - anywhere but here. He might have some lush apartment with some beautiful Shinra exec's daughter or a rich heiress. Might even with kids now. She smiled without humour. If he was, so be it. Not the life for her, though he might have been at least capable of offering it. The time with him had been fun all the same. Little pressure and him so willing to be accommodating, gentle and patient. The kisses they shared had always curled her toes and when she was in bed alone at night it was hard not to imagine going further if an opportunity arose.

But they were forever short of time; Zack's visits for the city were so limited - and of those his ability to even get to Sector Five was by no means guaranteed. So they took their moments when they could; taking walks hand in hand, a snack at some dingy cafe. Zack always at least slightly in disguise; never in his SOLDIER uniform and always with a pair of sunglasses regardless of the season to hide his glowing pupils. They shied away from discussions about work; he in his capacity as an enforcer in the company responsible for at least her mother's death and some panicked running through the streets in her younger years. She far more familiar with the Turks than she ever felt comfortable admitting.

That last time, Zack had said goodbye, insisting that his next visit would be longer; he would get some leave and spend a week, no two weeks in Midgar. Slum it at one of the Sector Five inns to maximise their time together. Aeris had smiled and welcomed the idea, wondering what they might be able to do with all that time to spend together. Zack promised extravagant destinations; fancy restaurants on the upper plate. Even a trip outside the city. Hard not to jump at the chance, even as she wondered how plausible such a trip was. Even with him as a SOLDIER, could he get past the Turk's surveillance? No matter; he would try and that was the main thing.

And then he never came back. She waited the expected two weeks - and then two more. Missions over-running were not a new thing so there was little reason for concern. Only after two months did she start getting worried. Asking around the sector proved futile. No, no one had seen the guy with black spiky hair in ages now. She could not go to Shinra; asking after him would be to call their attention back down onto her and she had too much of that with the Turks already. Nothing to do but wait.

After three months the notion he might not be returning first occurred to her and she cried in the church, carefully drying her eyes before venturing home. The worst outcome sprang to mind; a mission gone wrong, and Zack now dead. She was nothing official to him; in no way a next of kin - and Shinra were so close-lipped about their SOLDIERs outside of Sephiroth. His passing might not get a public announcement. No. She could not think like that.

Even at six months she still had hope. A year and it started to wane. Eighteen months after she last saw Zack Fair and the nuisance notion came to her. She had not felt him return to the Planet. He had to be still alive. A month later and another thought. If he was alive where was he? Soon the notion of another woman, a refined lady he did not have to disguise himself when seeing came to mind. Hard to shake the notion. No; Zack was better than that. But then where was he?

She could wait for him; he was special and their memories together remained precious. And yet... There were others who began catching her eye after the second year passed. There were those before Zack and there were those after. If Zack ever returned she would welcome him with open arms and depending on just what had delayed him, might even forgive him everything. In the present she did not know his fate and she refused to be a slave to her past.

Undyne was a good kisser; she could make her toes curl almost as well as Zack had. Far more experienced than Luna a year before she even met Zack. Undyne could almost make her forget Zack - almost. Little reminders here and there, and that infuriating sense of curiosity about just what had befallen him to allow him to vanish so completely. But she was over him now. A year with Undyne, and it was debatable if she could even let him back into her life. Undyne moved on eventually; she had ambitions of living in Mideel. Half the Planet away and plenty far enough to make things untenable between them. They parted on good terms, both glad for the time they had spent together, sad it could not continue. They exchanged letters every few months - that carried on for the better part of two years. Zack sprang to mind as Aeris adapted to being single again, but the pain was less, so much weaker than it had been in those first months.

As much as she wished he would come back, he never took up that much of her life in the end. She didn't look for him in her other partners; they were nothing like him. Some were a brief dalliance to kiss and cuddle. Others she invited into her bed. She was happy enough without him. But if the Planet could arrange it, it would be nice to one day come face to face with him again. She would not cry, she would not shout. No demanding answers or explanations for his absence. She would thank him for their time all those years ago and hope he had been keeping well too. She was not sure they could still be lovers, but they might be friends - if the situation ever arose.


	3. Birthday Dinner (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud x Aerith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'. A follow-up to [Eating Pizza Beneath the Pizza](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5338571).

"...and here we are." Cloud winced as they stopped in front of Undyne's pizza parlour.

Aeris studied the storefront carefully. "This is the same shop you work in- isn't it?"

"Yeah." Cloud scratched his head. "Sorry. I wanted to do something nicer but-" He stopped as Aeris kissed his cheek.

"It's fine." She smiled at him and touched his arm. "I appreciate the effort more than anything. Thank you."

Cloud smiled back at her. "Shall we go in?" He pushed the door open to reveal a candle-lit interior and a lack of other customers - save for Undyne who bowed.


	4. Breaking with Tradition (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith x Tifa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'. Set far past the end of [A Series of Moments](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618878/chapters/1116515).

For Aeris's nintieth birthday, Tifa broke from tradition. "No flowers?" Aeris asked, a tremor in her hands as Tifa handed her an envelope.

"Not this time." Tifa smiled, her face crinkling. "I figure you had more than enough every other year." She gestured to the lush garden outside.

Aeris hummed as she turned the envelope over and worked her finger under the flap. "Curious now." Tifa said nothing. A simple card congratulating her on her birthday - and a slip of paper inside. It granted the bearer a complete trip around the world in a Highwind-class airship. "One last time."


	5. Just in Time (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack x Aerith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'.

Aeris finished up in the church and headed home. While Mom had prepared a birthday meal at home, it didn't feel like her birthday just yet. He had explained the situation - and she could not really begrudge him inconvenient timing and military manuevers. He wasn't going to be with her today - and that was fine. They would have a chance to celebrate together soon. Just another five days. Aeris swept the dust and mud from her skirt and headed for home. She pushed the door open-

"Aeris!" A familiar voice and running feet. Zack smirked as he approached. "Made it!"


	6. Surprise Party (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith x Reeve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'.

"Surprise!" Her friends shouted in unison. Aeris's heart skipped a beat and she grinned. The quiet birthday Reeve had insisted was all he had planned was now revealed to be a gathering of all her friends. So many people assembled around the fire at Cosmo Canyon; Avalanche; the Turks - Elena and Shera holding hands and waving to her. And just behind her the architect of this little event.

"So, you asked Nanaki for a room with a good view here did you?" Aeris turned to her partner.

Reeve smiled sheepishly. "But do you mind?"

"Not in the slightest," she replied.


	7. A Surprising Effort (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno x Aerith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'.

The date with Reno was supposed to be just like the others. Mostly a typical date that would end with an overnight stay in some seedy motel. Never the most pleasant place, but letting Mom hear the moans Reno provoked just seemed wrong somehow. So, despite it being her birthday, Aeris expected little. To her immense surprise, Reno's suit looked a little less crumpled; he was not even smoking when she met him.

"Happy birthday," he blurted and held out a card.

"I didn't think I told you," Aeris said, frowning as she glanced at the card.

Reno shrugged. "Turk."


	8. First Birthday (Drabble)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'. A follow-up to [Cleris, Tiferis, Cloti and Charis](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4119166).

Charis had memories of so many different birthdays at different points in the year. Aeris had tended to have the happiest - though those were mostly just her and Mom; sometimes with Zack. Tifa's started lush and expensive with her father, but became threadbear in more recent times. Cloud's- Cloud's were painful. Or rather missing. Not going to think about those for now. Today was their new birthday - the day they became Charis and started a new life together. Charis blew out the candle on the cake Mom put down. One candle for one year - their first of many as one.


	9. What She Wanted (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud x Aerith x Tifa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'.

"This is not what I had in mind for a birthday," Cloud murmured as he clambered up the hill.

Tifa shushed him. "It's for her - this is what she wanted." Cloud's expression softened and he followed Tifa's gaze to the woman ahead who was already scrambling up the next hillside. Two weeks of rambling in the wilderness together - even though Aeris took every opportunity to do that anyway, she never normally did so with her partners. "Better not let her get too far ahead." Tifa cupped her mouth and called Aeris's name. Ahead she paused to smile back at them.


	10. Is it Enough? (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith x Barret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'. A future moment from an incomplete/unpublished fic.

Barret carefully sat Aeris down at the front of the church, just on the edge of the patch of flowers. "Are you sure this is enough?"

Aeris smiled at him. "Of course."

"But it's your birthday and-"

She stopped him, her hands pulling at his sleeve until he was knelt down and then leant down close enough for her to kiss him. "My choice," she murmured against his lips. "And it's been so long since I had a chance to come back here." She brushed her hands through the flowers. "This is perfect right now - just being here with you."


	11. Making Exceptions (Drabble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith x Sephiroth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Birthday'. A future part of an incomplete, unpublished fic.

"Gast-"

Aeris rolled her eyes at Sephiroth. "It's been what- three years now. We are not in the military anymore Sephy." That got the expected twitch and Aeris could not help the smile. She cocked her head to one side and tapped her foot.

Sephiroth composed himself. "Aeris-"

"Better!" Saying her first name was making him uncomfortable.

"-I wanted to wish you happy birthday." He held out a card, his cheeks flushing a little.

Aeris grinned as she took it. "I thought you didn't go in for this?"

"I make exceptions at-" His voice cut off as she kissed him.


	12. A Flower Girl from the Slums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Avalanche'.

"...a flower girl from the slums." And that was all the information she was prepared to admit when the new head of Shinra asked who they were. None of her new friends reacted to her words, all their attention on the man in the white suit ahead of them; Rufus Shinra. But they all knew she was more than what she claimed. Her heritage, her very nature was unlike them. Worse, they learned of those facts via this man's father; the moment of revelation taken from her. The secret reasons why Shinra had held her and mother in their clutches in her early years, why the Turks used to chase her through the alleys and trash of Sector Five. Why Tseng had only allowed her to leave an innocent four year old out of the tangled mess of her life by offering herself in exchange.

But Rufus Shinra did not know her. He might learn soon enough - maybe today or tomorrow reports would arrive to inform him what was gone from the Shinra building. Alongside a large number of employees, Hojo's lab would be missing a headless corpse and two rare research specimens. Valuable loses. But the Shinra successor seemed to care little for his father's fate. How callous; he knew of his father's death and from his vantage point he must have been able to see the body through the windows. Seen the blade of that massive sword pinning the President of the Shinra corporation to his desk. Complications there, history, none of it relevant to her in the end. Maybe he would be different to his predecessor. Maybe he wouldn't care about her at all.

It was just... different. An encounter with another in the vast array of Shinra faces - they who ruled the world- but for the first time she was able to define herself in the discussion. Nothing more than a flower girl who lived in the Midgar slums. Not a Cetra, not an Ancient; she could claim for maybe the first time she was no more and no less than human. She might have a useless materia, but for once the seeming near inexhaustible greed of Shinra had overlooked her, not seen a potential within her to exploit. To Rufus she was so much less important than posturing - at least until the moment Cloud's nerves seemed to finally fray and snap. But it was not Rufus's words that seemed to affect him - not really. He had been distant since they arrived in the lab, since they found the chamber burst open from the inside. After that he seemed to grow worse by the moment. The sight of the president impaled on the sword and Palmer's words unnerved him still further, the mention of Sephiroth's name stayed with him.

Aeris stole glances at Cloud after the group had said their pieces - especially after her own was accepted without comment by Rufus and by the group. Cloud's own reply to the newcomer had been clear, succinct, but something was still wrong. He was distracted and remained quiet as Rufus droned on, his eyes lowered and with seeming little interest in what was said. Until something broke and he spoke up insisting Barret get her out of the building. Confusing - as was the assertion that the Planet was in crisis. How did the resurrected Sephiroth fit into his concerns? Cloud was already allied with Avalanche - were they not already trying to prevent the Planet's crisis? What had Palmer's words awoken in Cloud to panic him so?

Tifa hung back as they ran for the lifts. Her answer had been different again - her words echoing Barret's. Another member of Avalanche. If she had the moment again, could Aeris have claimed the same? Tifa had not defined herself as a barmaid, not as her role but in her beliefs. If the Planet needed to be saved, then she could not back away; she would stand with Avalanche. Aeris paused, wanting to go back too - ensure Cloud was okay. Tifa too; she would go back for any of them now. No. Cloud could handle himself. Tifa could handle herself. She had to have faith. Aeris smiled to herself. She had known them for such a short time but already they inspired her. Cloud, Tifa, Barret; the trio had had come for her. Aeris quickened her pace and caught up to Barret and Red XIII; another member of Avalanche and a research specimen respectively. A designation that could have applied to her too if she had chosen it. No. She was a flower girl from the slums; and these people - these friends she had known for so little time - had come to rescue her. Aerith smiled. She might one day call herself part of Avalanche, but her answer to Rufus was just fine. The people around her were more important. Now she belonged with them.


	13. Tifa Fell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt 'Alternate Universe'.

"Hello?" Tifa stirred. The bed was lumpy and misshapen beneath her. Cool to the touch too. Must remember not to stop eating cookies in bed; the crumbs were irritating against her bare-skin. "Hello?" The voice called again. Her eyelids were like lead, and despite the discomfort of her position it was hard to move. Her back tensed against some unknown obstruction; she rolled to one side, seeking a softer patch of mattress. "You moved!" Was that Jessie? Her voice sounded different today. The light was bright against her eyelids - must have forgotten to close the curtains after she got home. From the reactor? Wait. Tifa forced her eyes open and groaned. Every part of her hurt. The sunlight was piercing bright in her eyes and her head ached. A brown and pink blur hovered nearby. "Are you okay?" An unfamiliar voice. Tifa blinked hard, focusing on the blur. A girl. A pretty girl with green eyes and a pink ribbon in her hair.

"Yeah," Tifa replied with some effort, her throat parched, her lips dry. "I'm okay." She winced as she pulled herself upright, squinting in the brightness. "Where... Where am I?"

"A church in Sector Five," the girl replied, not looking away from her as Tifa surveyed the area. Dust covered pews lined the room, the windows even still boasting the stained glass. "You scared me half to death crashing through the roof like that."

Tifa glanced at the girl, the movement sparking a new wave of pain and nausea. "I fell?" She looked up to a ragged hole in the roof above; beyond was the towering bulk of the Mako reactor. She had fallen into the slums and lived. Frenzied moments in the aftermath of the robot exploding; Cloud clutching at her arm, Barret yelling something behind him- Then the rush as fire consumed the reactor and she slipped from Cloud's grip. Wind whipping around her, her stomach lurching as she plummeted. Fifty metres; how could she have survived a fall like that? There were the odd uncomfortable days when someone from the upper plate decided to leap off the edge of the city, or drop down between the gaps in the plates. Hasty changed routes, Shinra grunts taking their time to clear up the aftermath; uncomfortable conversations with Marlene. Not one of the people in those instances had survived. Somehow she had.

The girl nodded. "Guess the flowers broke your fall." She grinned. "Lucky."

"Flowers?" Tifa blinked and stared down at her hand. It rested on damp soil, grass and flowers coming up all around her wrist. Flowers. Another connection; the vibrant flower Cloud brought home the night before; the one he gave to Marlene. More flowers of that same hue nearby. "These is yours?" Another nod. Tifa shifted and struggled onto her knees, trying to tip herself onto her feet. Way too much effort right now. "Sorry," she muttered as she settled for crawling onto the dusty wooden floor nearby.

"It's fine. The flowers are resilient." The girl stared around the room, her gaze coming to rest on Tifa again. "Guess it helps this is a sacred place."

"Didn't think you could grow flowers here," Tifa said. There was a her shaped impression in the mound the flowers grew in. She grimaced and sought the other girl's face. "Sorry," she gestured.

The girl shook her head. "Still fine. And I'm not sure if you really can't grow flowers in the city. I know people say that all the time, but they grow here. Better than at my house," the girl said. She flopped onto the floor beside Tifa. "I love it here though." She held out her hand. "I'm Aeris. I sell flowers."

Tifa smiled as she took her hand. "Tifa. I run a bar in Sector Seven."

Aeris's eyes widened. "You're that Tifa?" A grin curled her lips a moment later. "I've heard about you."

"Heard-" Tifa's eyes widened even as her cheeks heated up. "Those damn angel of the-"

"-they don't really do you justice," Aeris interrupted. She coughed and looked away. "Sorry. Guess people keep reminding you of that." She glanced back. "How are you feeling?"

Tifa laughed at the abrupt conversation change. "Dizzy, sore. Like I fell through a roof."

Aeris chuckled. "Might be a reason for that. Still; feel up to talking? Or should we try and get you some medical aid?"

Tifa stretched, joints popping, aches and pains intensifying for a moment. Nothing seemed to be bleeding. "I think... I think I'll be okay." She needed to get back to the Seventh Heaven. Had Cloud and Barret gotten away from the rector okay? Where they even now trying to get to her? Was Marlene okay? And yet- Aeris was looking at her again with those marvellous green eyes. "I think I can talk for a while-"

A screech of hinges sounded behind them. They both looked over their shoulders in the same moment; a man in a dark blue suit with red hair and goggles lounged against the door, watching them with hooded eyes. A chill ran up Tifa's spine. A familiar enough look; Turks. "Tifa," Aeris said in a low, calm voice. "Those rumours I mentioned?"

"Yeah?" Tifa frowned. Now? With a Turk watching them?

"There was one a bit different to the others. I heard that you can take of yourself if the circumstances require it." Aeris glanced at her. "And anyone making trouble in your bar would regret it." She held Tifa's gaze for a moment. "Is that one true?" Tifa nodded and Aeris's expression brightened. "So; I know this might not be the best time, but if you can, can you help me get home?" The Turk either heard them or gotten tired of waiting; he straightened up, two Shinra grunts entering the church behind him. "If you do-" Aeris bit her lip, a light blush rising in her cheeks. "-how about I take you on a date?"

A rush of warmth in her chest, a prickle of heat on her face. Tifa struggled to catch her breath for a moment. She had not even considered payment, but- "Sure. I think I can help you out." Tifa smiled and cracked her knuckles as she stood and shook her limbs. She could do this.


End file.
